The order of Auralius
by Dreamer-in-the-dark
Summary: William is two, and far too young to leave his Sire's side. Some have other ideas, however. Not happy with this either, but again, some people like it so I'll leave it up.
1. A little eavesdropping

**I lasted... what, over six months? I just have to write Angelus/William. Can't live without it. And since there seems to be a lack of well written fanged four stuff out there, I have to make do with my own feeble attempts. :glares at everyone else: write me some Angelus fic somebody please! **

**Anyway I hope you enjoy this little gem of my imagination... well... the little stone that I've polished and polished in the hope that it may become a gem... heh.

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Will opened his eyes woozily, and shut them again as the world swam around him. He let a moment pass, and then tested first his left eye, then his right. Everything wasn't swimming so much any more and he blinked a couple of times to focus himself. He decided to concentrate on just one thing, the fact that his head was throbbing painfully.

Why was it throbbing? Because he must've been hit.

Who had hit him? Hmm. Good question. Probably Angelus, that was usually – oh! No, not Angelus for once.

Could he do anything about it? No. Something was holding his arms up behind him and moving it just made it worse.

With those questions answered, he felt brave enough to look around and see where he was. He seemed to be in some sort of dungeon – it reminded him a lot of the cellar at home, except it was completely empty.

Or was it? At first he had thought he was alone, but then he realised in the dark corner opposite him, Angelus was slumped against the wall. There was blood down the left side of his head and clotted in his hair, which was all over the place. His blood and muck stained shirt hung in tatters off his frame and his head lolled forwards over his chest sp Will couldn't see his face. His arms were manacled upwards, holding him in position that reminded Will of Christ. Will almost liked the idea of Angelus as Jesus, but he did not like the sight of his always perfect Sire like that. It filled him with unease. Angelus looked… awful.

It suddenly struck him that his own state must be somewhat similar. The back of his head felt sticky where he assumed blood had clotted from his probably fractured skull, and there was a small pool of blood dried on the floor around him. His arms were held similarly to Angelus' and he tested them to see. Definitely chains. Other than that he couldn't really tell what he looked like, because he didn't want to move his throbbing head too much.

He looked back at his Sire, hoping he would wake up. As if he knew Will was watching, Angelus' head rose and his eyes opened, locking onto Will's immediately. They looked at each other for a few seconds before Will realised he had nothing to say that didn't sound ridiculous, or state the obvious. Finally Angelus' head fell again and he spoke quietly.

"Go to sleep, Will, use the time to heal while you've got it."

Will closed his eyes but found it impossible to sleep. His head hurt too much for him to forget about it, and after Angelus had mentioned healing, the thought of blood popped into his head and he had suddenly become aware of his hunger.

Eventually he gave up and just stared at a patch on the floor near the door where either he or Angelus must've dripped blood on their way in. Perhaps he did doze off, because the next thing he remembered was the door opening and four vampires entering. One of them was the Master himself. Another was clearly a young fledgling, carrying a large leather case. Will got the impression that although he was the youngest of the Master's group, he was still distinctly older than Will himself. The other two were, from their mannerisms, probably a little younger than Angelus, although one with short hair may have been about the same age.

Angelus was awake and was looking at the Master with what Will desperately hoped wasn't surrender. Will licked his lips and glanced between Angelus, the Master, and the other vampires in the room. Only the fledgling paid him any attention, looking at him expressionlessly. The motionless eye contact between everyone seemed to go on forever and Will found him self getting bored, which was absurd given the situation. He tried to remember why he was there, how they got there…

* * *

Things had been odd for a couple of weeks now. Darla and Angelus were arguing far more than was usual, and Will got the distinct impression it was his fault, although no one ever said so. No one really spoke to him at all. There was an atmosphere of tension through the whole house, and William knew enough to keep out of the way as much as possible. Darla would go out on her own four hours, sometimes even days, on her own, and Angelus would spend the time locked in his own room. Will and Drusilla had been strictly forbidden from going out without Angelus, a rule which Will had learnt was absolutely not to be broken. He'd only just healed from the punishment.

It was about 9 o'clock and Will wondered vaguely why no one had called him yet. He crept out of bed and stopped at the top of the stairs, because he could hear voices from the floor below, where Darla and Angelus shared a room.

"No." It was Angelus' voice.

"Why not?" He could barely make out their voices but they sounded like an argument was brewing, so Will sat down on the step to listen. He didn't want to go any closer because he knew they would smell him. There was the sound of Angelus speaking but Will couldn't make out what he said. Then Darla spoke again, but Will didn't catch it all. "So? Drusilla------ two ------- fine."

"Drusilla's different."

"How is she different?"

"She's ------ for one thing, and ----- girls ----- mad ------ take care ------!"

Darla was getting angry now because her voice was shriller. "Look Angelus, -------- William NOW, not in a few more years when you decide he's ------!"

"No! Darla, I'm not having my Childe -------- four -----without me!"

There was the sound of a slap that made Will's eyes widen. "You have no say in the matter, boy!" Will swallowed. Darla was pulling rank, something she rarely did. "He is my Sire." That made him frown. Who _was _Darla's Sire? Will had never thought about it before. He guessed he just assumed he was dead, whoever he was. What she said next was so quiet he had to really strain to hear it, but he thought she said something like, "In the same way that I am yours. You hadn't forgotten that, had you boy?"

William couldn't be sure, but he thought he heard Angelus say "No, Sire," in an unfamiliar voice that didn't sound like his own. Will didn't like it and decided to go up and find Drusilla.

Later that night, Darla came down and looked disdainfully at Will and Drusilla, curled up together on the rug. That was the only thing Will liked about the atmosphere. He got more private time with Drusilla.

"I'm going out. Will, heat a bucket of water and take it up to Angelus' room." Will didn't move. "Now, boy!"

Will shifted from his position, kissing Dru gently. "Be back soon princess," he whispered, and filled a bucket of water. He hung it over the fire to heat, and settled down with Dru for a bit. She giggled and kissed him.

"Swippity-swap, mix them all up," she laughed to herself.

"What's that love?"

"Swip-swap," she repeated in a sing song voice.

"What's swapped?" he asked teasingly, stroking her neck.

She shook her head, then looked at him solemnly. "Daddy doesn't like it. He doesn't like it one bit."

Will laughed. "You mean the argument with Darla? Course he does. He loves arguing with her, remember?"

Drusilla continued to look solemn. "Not that. Silly William. Silly, bloody William. William the bloody…" then she smiled, and Will couldn't contain himself anymore, she was beautiful.

Fifteen minutes later, the water bucket was boiling, and Will remembered what he was supposed to be doing. He disengaged himself from Drusilla's clothing and unhooked the bucket. "I've got to go upstairs Dru, I'll be back soon ok?"

"Don't make faces," Drusilla murmured gently, and he smiled.

He knocked on the door to Angelus' room and got no answer, so he called gently. "Angelus? Darla sent me with –"

The door opened and Angelus looked down at him. "What?" He was naked to the waist and looked irritated, as if he didn't want Will to be there. The room behind him smelt of blood, but something else too. A very familiar scent, but Will couldn't quite place it.

Will held up the bucket quickly. "Darla sent me up with this."

Angelus frowned suspiciously. "Is she still here?"

"No, but before she left she said to bring it up." Angelus was only opening the door a little way and Will was desperate to know what was making the room smell so strange yet familiar.

Angelus sighed. "Fine. Bring it in." He opened the door wide and Will looked around curiously as he stepped in. The room seemed fine, except for the smell. He put the bucket down and tried to distinguish all the prominent smells. There was anger, both Darla's and Angelus', although hers was stronger. There was blood – a strong smell, which was confusing considering the lack of it in the room, and… submission. That was the peculiar smell. So familiar because he was so used to it, but this was Angelus' submission and it was strange to smell. Angelus followed him, and it was only when he turned to reach a cloth to wash himself with that William realised why it smelt like blood. Angelus' back was, to use the cliché, in ribbons. He stared for a couple of seconds and Angelus caught him looking.

"What? Did you think it was only you that got whipped by your Sire?"

William was dumbfounded. Angelus could easily have stood up to her. He could easily have stopped her… couldn't he?

"W-why?" he managed.

Angelus gave a hollow laugh. "I forgot my place." He turned back to the water and soaked the cloth gently. "Go back to Drusilla."

William turned to leave, but stopped by the door. "Angelus…" he began, and when Angelus ignored him, he tried again. "Sire?" This time he turned. "Erm… well…"

"Yes?"

"Dru and me..."

"Dru and I," Angelus corrected warningly.

"Dru and I," Will repeated, "Well, we were wondering… if we could go out."

Angelus' face darkened. "You are _not_ to go out without me, either of you, understood?"

"Y-yes but we're really hungry."

Angelus sighed. "I'll bring you something back when I go out."

"Can't we come with you?" He asked before he could stop himself. Angelus growled. Will didn't wait for an answer, hastily back tracking out of the door and re-joining Drusilla downstairs.

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**argh... I'd forgotten how much I love my fanged family... what about you? **

**Incidently; as far a reveiws are concerned - do not leave this page without pressing that little purple button - but as much as I love compliments - I'm really looking to improve at the moment so any constructive criticism would be welcomed. In fact, it doesn't even have to be constructive. I'm confident enough to turn it positive whatever so if you spotted a fault - let me know. Thanks. xx**


	2. More eavesdropping

**Right, Chapter two. Thanks again for the reviews - at least with this story I have an overall plan of how it's going to go. With a few of my other ones I don't, and that's why they take forever to get updated. Anyway, enough of me; over to Will:

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Will frowned, wondering why that particular night had popped into his head, and trying unproductively to remember what had happened_ last_ night, because that would explain why and how he got here, but he couldn't.

Suddenly the Master moved aside and none other than Darla emerged from behind him. She looked first at Angelus, and then at Will, and the look on her face was a strange mixture of dislike, superiority and, strangely, sadness. She set her jaw and looked back to Angelus.

"This is your fault," she said, and Will suddenly remembered the events of the night before.

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He was in bed with Drusilla, when he was woken by more arguing from downstairs. Since this had become a more than daily occurrence, he wasn't bothered by it, but realising they were both awake and irate; he'd better get up. While he was getting dressed, he frowned, listening to what was being said.

"This has gone on long enough, Angelus, and he's not going to take no for an answer!" Darla's shrill voice wafted up to him. Angelus said something unintelligible and Will drifted out of his room to the top of the stairs. "No! Like I said, it's not your decision!" Will still didn't manage to make out Angelus' reply, so he crept a little way down the stairs. Then a little further. And a little more, until right at the bottom, outside the room they were arguing in.

"Not yet, Darla, please," Angelus was saying.

Darla's voice was cold and Will's stomach churned just at the sound of it on the other side of the door. "You cannot possibly say he's not old enough, he has to go now!"

"He's not ready Darla!"

"If you use that excuse, he is never going to be ready, boy!" Darla's voice rose. "You will never see him as anything but a fledgling!" Then it lowered again and she sounded a little warmer. "Better now than face this again in a couple of years. It's not that bad, I promise." Angelus gave a low growl, but didn't speak. "Well?" she asked impatiently. "Will you let him go?"

There was a pause, and then a savage, "No."

Another pause followed, and then Darla's icy voice came again. "Yes. If you won't send him, he will be fetched."

Suddenly the door flew open and Darla stormed out rather gracefully, without giving Will a second glance. He watched her go, his heart racing and his head reeling with what the row could have been about. Where were they sending him? He presumed they'd been talking about him; a fledgling… A thought suddenly struck him. They weren't going to disown him, were they? The very idea plucked at his heart cruelly and he forced it away. He'd never been that bad, had he?

"Boy!" Angelus called, and Will suddenly remembered he was sitting outside Angelus' room. Of course he must've sensed him. He knew he had no choice but to go in, and so he silently slipped into Angelus' room. Angelus had his back to him, fully clothed, hands resting on the desk with his head drooped. "Get your coat. Where's Drusilla?"

"Asleep, Sire," he said respectfully for once.

"Don't wake her. We're going out."

William hesitated, unwilling to leave Drusilla in bed on her own in the house, but decided not to dispute it.

Half a minute later he was downstairs standing behind Angelus as he opened the door and stepped out. Will self consciously raised a hand to his hair, because this was normally the point where Angelus would frown and make a comment about it, but Angelus didn't even stop to see if he was following. Licking his lips in anxiety, Will hurried after him.

Angelus strode down several streets so quickly that Will had to trot to keep up, and then stopped at a corner so suddenly that Will ran into him. Angelus continued to ignore him and stood perfectly still, so still that Will knew he was sniffing the air. Awkwardly, he tried to follow suit, glancing at Angelus as he took in a breath. He couldn't smell anything out of the ordinary and couldn't work out what Angelus was doing, so he gave up, impatiently shifting his weight between his feet.

"Stop fidgeting," Angelus snapped irritably, and Will did his best to stop.

Finally they were on the move again, and Will continued to trot after his Sire. Angelus stopped at a few more corners, and each time he became more irritable, and each time they set off he walked a little faster, until finally he stopped in the middle of the road and raised his head to the sky, his eyes darting over the rooftops. Then he looked at Will. He took him by the shoulders and Will was suddenly very scared.

"Angelus? W-what's going –"

"Shh!" He was cut off as he smelt something and turned round slowly. "Stay behind me," he breathed so only Will could hear.

Obeying the order, Will peered out from behind Angelus' broad figure at a large group of vampires in front of them. The largest one stood afore the rest, but his face was covered by a hood.

Angelus bowed a little in acknowledgement. "Master."

Master? Will glanced at Angelus, who once again was ignoring Will.

"Angelus." The 'Master's' voice was horrible. He raised a hand to remove the hood and Will's eyes widened. The skin of his face was wrinkled and ugly. At first he thought it was a demon, but then realised he was just a vampire in some kind of dramatic true face. He glanced at Angelus again, but he seemed unfazed by it. "This is your fledgling then?"

Will saw Angelus tense. "Yes. William."

"Step forwards, William, I wish to see your face."

He hesitated, looking to Angelus, who gave a slight nod, and Will revealed himself from behind his Sire. He stood awkwardly for a couple of seconds, before Angelus prodded him and hissed, "Kneel. And don't fidget."

Will did so, uncomfortably conscious of all the eyes on him, as the Master came closer and lifted his head slowly. Will closed his eyes, not wanting to look at his face. He held Will's chin in his hand and breathed out slowly.

"Pretty. At least you didn't turn an ugly one, Angelus." He smiled at his own joke, and then half pushed Will away, who got up and swiftly returned to behind his Sire. "You know why I'm here, of course."

Angelus growled softly. "Respectfully, Master, he is not ready. I would ask for just –"

"No." The Master's voice had grown quiet and deep, and sent a chill down Will's spine. "Now." Angelus' jaw twitched, his eyes narrowed, and flashed amber. "Do I have to fight you for him?"

Angelus didn't take his eyes off the Master, but spoke to Will in a low voice. "Run, now."

Will didn't need telling twice, he turned and ran in the other direction from the Master. It was a vain effort, and he knew it was very much Angelus' last resort, but he was determined not to let him down. Sadly, he got no further than the corner before he was tackled to the floor by one of the Master's lackeys. Will put up a good fight, but one of them cracked his head against the stone and black dots crossed his vision before he fell unconscious.

* * *

And now he was here. Darla shook her head slowly at Angelus. "Dear boy…" she seemed to muse. "You still have so much to learn."

William watched this with astonishment. Angelus knew everything, didn't he? Angelus… no, Darla had got it mixed up. It was he who had so much to learn, surely she meant.

"I'm sorry it came to this, but my Sire informs me he needs your permission. And since you're currently not complying… well…" she shrugged. "See you later." She turned and left the way she had come, and William suddenly realised what she meant by 'my Sire'. That must be the hideous creature Angelus had addressed as Master.

Speaking of whom, he was nodding towards a minion who began to open the bag that the fledgling held. "Angelus. Do I have your permission?"

"No," Angelus said shortly.

The master made a disappointed noise and shook his head. "Good. I have the chance to hear you scream." From behind him, the Master produced a small vial of holy water that had come from the bag. He gave a horrible sort of grimace that Will suspected was supposed to be an evil smile. Then he paused and looked at Will. "I don't think we need the boy here. Take him next door."

One of the minions leant over and unlocked Will's manacles, then heaved him to his feet. The Master then turned his back on William and very slowly emptied the bottle of water over Angelus. Angelus moved to one side but his shoulder and chest still caught most of the deadly liquid, and he hissed.

Will suddenly launched himself at the Master and got in a good punch to his eye, but the Master was older and stronger and soon had him up against the wall, with his hand around Will's neck. He grabbed a stake from the bag the fledge had, and held it, snarling, against Will's chest.

The whole room was silent, as Will stared at the ugly form in front of him. Angelus was sitting up straight, his burn forgotten, and everyone was frozen. William was suddenly inexplicably aware of the smells around him. Angelus' all too familiar anger, rage from the Master, submission from the minions, probably terror from himself and… something else from Angelus… Fear. Angelus was scared. Will stole a glance at his Sire. He was leaning forwards slightly, eyes fixed on William, frozen.

As the point of the stake pressurised his chest, Will found himself begging silently for Angelus to do something, although he knew he couldn't. _Stop him, please! You're my _sire_, you have to help me! Do something Angelus!_ Will swallowed and closed his eyes as the pressure increased, but then it disappeared, and for a moment Will thought he was dead, but when he opened his eyes again, he saw the Master smiling wickedly at Angelus.

"My friends," he addressed the room. "We have found a weakness." He suddenly turned and slapped Will hard across the face, and Angelus jerked as if he had been hit himself. That made the Master smile even more and he did it again. Then he turned back to his bag and Will slumped to the floor, not looking at Angelus.

When the Master turned back round again, he held another bottle of water and Will swallowed as he looked up at it. Then the Master clicked his fingers and one of his minions took the bottle from him. The Master stood back and allowed his lackey to unscrew the top, and with agonising slowness, he began to flick it over Will's exposed chest. Will turned his face away and screwed his eyes shut tight against the pain. The master carried on with this for sometime, and Will was determined not to make a sound, biting his lip until it bled, until the last half of the bottle was emptied in one and he had to hiss and shrink away in pain.

Then they brought out the whip and made him stand up while they whipped him. It wasn't the same as Angelus' strap. He pressed his forehead against the wall and dug his fingernails into a crack the way he did when Angelus was beating him. He didn't look at his Sire throughout the whole thing. After fifty strokes he had to give in and let out a strange sound somewhere between a cry and a whimper.

The minion carried on though, and Will started to shake silently, hating himself for not trying harder, but his chest was burning and his back was on fire and he was so hungry and just wanted to cry.

Finally Angelus broke in. "Stop."

The minion paused and looked at the Master. "What was that?" The Master asked.

"Stop it. Leave him alone."

The Master smiled and nodded. "That will do for now. Sleep well," he said with a laugh, and then turned to leave. His lackeys followed him and shut the door with a bang.

Will slumped to the floor in a heap and tried to pretend Angelus wasn't there, although he could feel his Sire's eyes burning into him. He didn't want Angelus to be here, he didn't want Angelus to see his weakness.

Finally the quiet voice called to him. "Will. William." Will ignored it. "I know you're awake. Come here, Will."

William sighed and managed to drag himself the short distance to where Angelus lay. Angelus was still manacled, but the Master had left the bag, and Angelus nodded towards it.

"Keys are in there."

Will felt like crying some more. He was in pain, weak, and just wanted to lie still, and Angelus was making him move around. He didn't stand up, just crawled to the bag and found the keys, crawled back and unlocked Angelus' wrists. Then he collapsed into Angelus' lap in exhaustion.

All it took was to feel Angelus' hand in his hair and he started to cry. "'m sorry," he sniffed into Angelus' leg. "I t-tried – I tried to be quiet b-but…"

"Shh," Angelus soothed, stroking his Childe gently. "I know, and you were, you were very brave."

William curled up and buried himself against his Sire desperately. Angelus pulled him close and rested Will's head against his neck. They sat like that for a while, and then, when Will's sobs had settled, Angelus straightened him up and wiped the blood and tears from his face. Then he leant forward and kissed him.

William responded instantly, despite his injuries. He closed his eyes and let Angelus prise his mouth open with his tongue. A kiss like this was such a rare occurrence that Will knew enough to savour it.

When Angelus drew away, Will desperately nuzzled his chin for more, but Angelus pulled Will against him again and slowly, they fell asleep together; Will's head resting on Angelus' shoulder.

**Review. Or... I'll do my crazy frog impression down your earhole for a whole week. **


	3. The Master always gets his way

**A little shorter than usual, but that's because the next chapter is going to be extra-specially-hugelumpsofpain-fully good. Promise. If I can find my muse, that is; she ran away with a certain ff writer who updates so often it makes me feel really guilty. Love you guys.

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The Master smirked at the sight of Angelus and William asleep together. He kicked Angelus in the damaged side of his head and then pushed Will off his Sire with the same foot. Will slipped to the floor where he stirred but didn't wake up. Angelus woke straight away and moved a little so that he was between William and the Master.

"Sweet." The Master crouched down and roughly pushed Angelus out of the way. William's face was covered in dried blood, and the Master growled softly as he looked at the boy's sleeping face. Suddenly he grabbed Will by the throat and pushed him against the wall in the same way he had done the day before. William woke up with the slam of his head against the wall but still held the air of confusion; he had no idea what was going on.

Angelus closed his eyes, lacking the energy to intervene. The Master began to repeatedly smash Will's head against the wall in something resembling anger, although Angelus didn't understand why he would be angry, and what Will had done to deserve his wrath…

Oh. Yes he did. Angelus hadn't agreed. He remembered now. It wasn't Will's fault at all; it was his, and the Master was just trying to persuade him to hand over his Childe.

It was a tradition upheld by the Master's bloodline; when a fledgling reached a certain age - they did four months of service in the Master's company. Drusilla had done it; Angelus himself had done it. Darla was the Master's favoured Childe anyway so he doubted she'd done anything of the like. But the issue was, it should be Will's turn. The Master had requested him, but Angelus didn't like it. He remembered his own four months badly – hell. He had prayed for it to end every day.

As the Master continued to crack William's skull against the wall, Angelus watched. His Childe's head was turned away from him, so he couldn't see the boy's expression, but he could hear the cracking sound of his head – a sound that he would usually revel in. Now was different, however. He felt something like guilt. The very thought disgusted him, and he wanted it to end.

"Stop!" The word erupted from his mouth and the Master did indeed stop.

"What was that?"

"You can have him." Angelus was looking at the floor, and Will had now managed to turn his head so he was looking at Angelus. If his Sire had looked up, he would've seen a thoroughly confused, partly scared and not fully awake William frowning at him from under the haze of blood around his eyes.

A delicious smile crept across the Master's face. "Wonderful."

Angelus raised his face, his jaw tight. "Four months. Starting today,"

"Tomorrow."

"_Today_," Angelus insisted, a defiant hint of a snarl in his voice.

The Master lunged out and kicked him in the head, sending Angelus back into the wall. Then he yanked William by the throat and left the room, stopping at the doorway. "I will send someone to release you. And I will see you four months from tomorrow."

William got one clear look of his Sire's face before he was pulled through the door after his Master. Angelus' eyes were closed, a muscle twitching in his jaw and as William looked, he raised his head and opened his eyes. Will hated the look he saw there, in the second of eye contact between them. It was a look he'd never seen before – and Will couldn't place it.

Angelus opened the door to his London home wearily. It was about five o'clock in the morning and he had walked all night, not having any money for a cab. Sighing, he deposited his boots by the door and yelled for the only person left at home in their family.

"DRUSILLA!"

She appeared a moment later half way down the stairs, her eyes wild with madness. She was unnaturally thin, and he wondered how long he'd been away for. Not long enough for her to have starved surely. "Ooooh," she keeled, gripping the banister with her pale hands. Angelus held back an impatient growl. She was clearly in the midst of one of her fits and he did not have the patience to deal with her at the moment.

"Where are the minions?" he asked sharply, annoyed that they hadn't come as soon as they heard the door slam. Drusilla didn't answer, she just stared wildly at him and whined some more. "Drusilla?" He sighed exasperatedly. "SAMUEL!" He called for his head minion.

The vampire appeared from the kitchen. He looked as if he hadn't slept for a week; there were dark hollows under his eyes.

"What has been going on here!" Angelus practically exploded.

Samuel swallowed and lowered his head, speaking so quietly and quickly that if it weren't for vampire senses Angelus wouldn't have heard him. "N-no one knew what to do sir, and y-you'd forbidden mistress Drusilla to go out on her own s-so we tried to keep her here we brought her food but she wouldn't eat and t-then she stuck a knife in Tom's eye and n-no one wanted to stay with her anymore I tried to make them stay master I'm sorry-"

"Stop. They've gone?"

"All except me and Daemon sir."

"What about Drusilla? Why is she in this state?"

"Sh-she wouldn't eat, sir, and after Tom…"

Angelus strode forward and clouted the vampire across the head. "You didn't go anywhere near her did you? Look at her!" He turned to the stairs. "Drusilla? Come here for me a minute." Drusilla hurried to him obediently and he slipped a hand round her waist comfortingly as she shook with the force of her madness. He turned to Samuel. "Tell Daemon to prepare a bath in my room, and lay out clean clothes for Drusilla and myself on the chairs. Then you go and fetch us someone to eat – is there anyone left in the cellar?" Samuel shook his head. "Then go and find someone from the street."

Samuel nodded vigorously. "Yes master," and hurried into the kitchen. Angelus led Drusilla into the drawing room and settled her on a settee. He heard Daemon going upstairs and Samuel about to leave the house.

"And Samuel," he said, poking his head out of the door. "Don't take all day. Forget the 'will they be missed' rule, just get the first person you can." Then he added sternly, "As an _exception_, mind."

Samuel muttered a hasty 'yes sir', and left. Then Angelus returned to Drusilla who was staring straight in front of her, tears rolling down her face. He knelt in front of her and raised her hand to his lips. "Drusilla?" he asked softly. "Are you there sweetheart?"

She slowly fixed her eyes on him. "My Angel?" she whispered, and he smiled softly.

"There you are. Now tell me what's wrong."

She whimpered a little. "William…"

"Will be fine," he finished for her. "Now, Drusilla, I want you to do something for me," he began, as if speaking to a child. "I want you not to think about William, or talk about him, for the next four months. You know where he's gone don't you?" She nodded slowly, her eyes wide, and Angelus smiled internally with pride at how good she was. "So can you do that for me? Not think about William?"

She raised the hand Angelus wasn't holding and waved it in front of her, as if touching something he couldn't see. "But, daddy, the stars tell me things, they whisper little secrets in the night… They say William's hurting, ooh, he's hurting!" She began to tremble, getting herself in a state again, and Angelus soothed her a little more, wishing to god Will was here to do this.

"Ok, but maybe the stars are lying to you Princess, yeah? Especially when they talk about Will. If they start whispering to you again you tell them to stop it all right? Can you do that?"

She nodded slowly. "Bad stars."

Then Samuel knocked on the door and Angelus told him to enter, dragging an unconscious woman behind him. Drusilla snarled at him like a defensive dog, but Angelus took the woman and told Samuel to go and help Daemon; they'd be up in a minute.

He bit into the woman's neck, carefully so that Drusilla saw him do it, and drank until he felt a little better. Then he handed her to Drusilla and nodded at her. She sank her fangs in hesitantly, as if unsure if she should, but eventually she drank until the woman was dry.

Angelus wasn't completely sated, however, and he vowed to himself that when night came again he would hunt savagely, and take Drusilla with him. He led her upstairs to the room and Samuel helped him peel of the remainders of his clothes, then he sent the two minions to go and get some sleep. He sank slowly into the bath, sighing and closing his eyes. Drusilla hovered around by the door watching him, and after a while he opened his eyes and beckoned her.

"Come on Dru," he said, indicating the space next to him in the large custom made bathtub.

She joined him gladly, and the two of them spent the day washing, resting, and in Angelus' case, taking out his frustration by periodically screwing his older childe brutally. Drusilla loved it. It was the most attention she had got from her 'Angel' for about a month, and all thoughts of Will were driven swiftly out of her head.

* * *

**Yeah so the Drusilla/Angelus went on a little longer than expected. Next chapter is lonely William. Looking forward to it? Yeah, me too.**

**Reviews: Like caffeine for the legs chasing the runaway muse!**


	4. Deterioration of the memory

**_NB – William's four months are August (31) September (30) October (31) November (30) starting on 15th August, ending on 15th November – 122 days in total._**

**_Will/Spike POV_**

_Day four._

"Sod you."

I'm pissed off. No, stuff that, _Spike_ is pissed off. Why should I have to wear my demon face all the time? When I was first turned, Angelus had beaten it into me that the masquerade of a human face is what keeps us alive.

A large, powerful hand to rival Angelus' whacked me across the side of his head and I sprawled across the floor. The hand belonged to Luke, a particularly nasty sadistic bastard that the Master keeps at his side most of the time.

"You will do as the Master commands," he snarled, and I snarled back, starting to enjoy myself. What an idiot. Does he even ever think about what the Master's commands are? They make no sense!

"I don't follow commands, I follow logic." Another blow followed the first but I took it, returning to my feet and sneering at the Master. "Do you have to get your lackey to do all the grunt work for you? Are you not strong enough to beat me up yourself?"

Oh yeah. He did beat me up didn't he? Four days ago. With Angelus. Angelus… didn't fight back. Why not? He should've stopped it, he's my Sire!

Luke hit me again, and I stumbled back but kept my balance. "I am no lackey," he growled deeply. "I am Luke, Childe of the Master of the Auralian bloodline."

My God... "Am I supposed to be impressed by that? _I _am William the bloody, Childe of the Scourge of Europe," I smirked. Oh yeah. There is nothing like boasting about your Sire.

The Master, who I'd almost forgotten about, scoffed from behind me and I whirled round. "Nothing but exaggerated tales recorded in the Watcher's diaries. True Auralian vampires keep their deeds enigmatic and untraceable. Your Sire is nothing but an attention seeking lout that Darla found physically attractive." Hey. That's… hey! You can't insult Angelus – he's a great vampire! One of the best! I snarled in anger and my face flipped back into its demon visage. The Master smiled cruelly. "That's more like it. But we mustn't forget your little rebellion. Luke?" He gestured to the monstrous vampire to continue, and Luke punched me in the face, breaking my nose. The Master threw him a whip and I groaned inwardly, knowing what was coming as Luke advanced on me.

"Ooooh, a whip. I'm so scared, cos God knows I haven't been whipped before," I mocked sarcastically.

* * *

_Day 21_

Urgh.

It seems rather than being in the Master's service, I've been given to Luke, as a cross between a slave and a punching bag. It's a bit like fagging back in school, but with a lot more blood. I used to think it was like that with Angelus but… this is a lot more comparable. There's the one head boy in charge (that would be the Master), the people just below him (Luke and the rest), and everyone else who just scurries around to do whatever they want.

Wait. Actually, Angelus' household _is _like that, only I would be the equivalent of Luke…. No. _I_ don't beat up the minions.

Course, I would, if I was allowed, but Angelus would probably flay me for it.

Luke is a bastard. He flirts to high hell with Darla whenever she's around – which is even more annoying because all it does is further boost her infuriating ego. He also takes every opportunity to bad mouth Angelus, like the Master, which I hate because I know Angelus wouldn't take it if he were here, but I already tried defending him and all it does is earn me a few broken ribs.

Bastards.

As for the Master… D'you know what he's done? He's forbidden me to hunt! And when I demanded the obvious question of how the hell am I gonna eat then, I got beaten up and whipped some more, then left on my own for three days. I figured out though that the only way to quell the hunger is to feed off the other vampire around me.

'Cept I don't like asking the other underlings, since they barely get enough themselves and if I ask them they'll only get bitter about it. Anyway, most of them don't like me. It's dangerous to make friends of alliances in the Master's court; it prompts suspicions of rebellion. So I have to wait for them to offer, meaning constant starvation. Sometimes the Master decides to offer himself, with a look on his face that I worked out means it is supposed to be some significant honour to drink from his wrist. I wouldn't call it an honour. It's foul – not only is his skin crusty and disgusting, but the blood tastes awful – a little like Darla actually – old and stale. Most of the people in the court taste awful actually. I reckon it's the lack of oxygen being this far underground. The Master doesn't like us breathing. Kinda like the face thing, he doesn't like anything remotely human. It's difficult not to though. I still have the impulse to breathe – Darla doesn't like it but I get the feeling Angelus thinks it's cute.

Angelus is the only vampire I've ever thought tasted fantastic. Oh… I guess there was Dru, too, but she's practically made of Angelus' blood anyway so it's not surprising. Sire blood.

God I'm so hungry. Wonder what Angelus is doing right now… I wonder if he's feeding. Or sleeping. I have no idea what time it is – there's no light down here so I have no idea of time. I sleep when Luke and the Master do, and I would guess they keep to average day/night cycles.

I don't have anywhere specifically to sleep, so I found a corner near to Luke and the Master's chambers where I can hear just enough to know what moods they're in. I learnt from Angelus quickly enough that it's always important to listen out for signs of mood swings. Luke doesn't change much – he reminds me of an automaton sometimes. The Master though…. He's worse than Angelus with his mood swings.

Sometimes he sends for me and just expects me to sit at his feet like a dog and look pretty while he does other things. He seems obsessed by my eyes; he loves the idea of getting me to change my eyes into their human blue but keep the rest of my face demonic. When I can't – or won't – which is usually the case due to lack of red blood cells, I get beaten up and shouted at a bit more. I don't care though.

I don't care, cos I'm used to it.

I don't care.

* * *

_Day 47_

Four months, Angelus said. How many months has it been? I have no idea. I lost all sense of time a long time ago. I just want to go home. It must be at least two months by now…

I miss him. A couple of weeks ago I carved his tattoo into the bottom of the wall in my corner. As far as I know, no one's found it, although I bet the Master wouldn't like it if he did. It took me five days to get it right, because I couldn't remember exactly what the wing looked like. When I sleep I run my fingers over it. I really miss him.

I can't see my curls on the edges of my vision anymore. The Master cut my hair. Angelus won't like that. And I'm starting to think that blonde hair was a thing of the past for me. The dirt and grime from this place is going to permanently stain it dark. Another thing Angelus won't like. What did he think would happen to me? If he knew it was going to be like this he wouldn't have let me come, would he? Of course he wouldn't. If he were here now, he'd stop it. He'd take me away and… I'm _his. _That's what he always said. I'm _his _boy, and no one else is allowed to touch me.

So when's he going to come?

* * *

_Day 61_

No one ever talks to me. Or, if they do, they shout.

No one ever touches me. Or, if they do, they hit me.

Bastards. I hate this. I'm not a solitary person. I need company and contact. I need to fight, to talk, to shag… I need it like blood, and I'm not getting any. I need Angelus' hand on my shoulder, I need his hand on the back of my neck, I need his lips on mine in one of the rare occasions when he actually cares… hell, I even need the familiar sting of his belt. Just not too often.

* * *

_Day 80_

I don't remember what his face looks like. It's blurry. I can remember his eyes, and his mouth, and his nose, and his chin, and his heavy brow, but I can't put them together into a face.

I've nearly worn away the stone over the Angelus tattoo; I've touched it so much. I'm going to start re-carving it because if I wait till it's gone I'll forget what it looks like.

* * *

_Day 105_

I don't remember.

Home…. What's home? I don't even care anymore. I don't think I'm going back. This has been more than four months already, it must be. This has gotta be at least a year. I only have vague memories; so vague that I don't think they are even real. I think… maybe I dreamt it. I'm going to be forever aren't I?

Angelus, Drusilla and... someone else who's name I can't remember. None of them came for me. Maybe I dreamt them.

No. They're real. I know they are.

* * *

_Day 121_

The Master's being weird today. He keeps... sneering. He seems pleased with himself. I think he's acheived something he wanted. I don't know what.

I still have the carved tattoo. It belongs to Angelus. He must exist, because otherwise I wouldn't have carved the tattoo. I remember him. Sometimes. Just feelings, mostly. Four months is stuck in my mind for some reason. Four months... That was how long I was supposed to stay here! I remember! Angelus is supposed to come and get me. Angelus is my Sire. I'm his Childe. I'm His.

**

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**

So... Will's four months are almost up. I hope I didn't confuse you all too much with the set out. It took me a while to work out how I wanted to write it, and I figured 1st person would be best. I know it's not that realistic that he would practically lose his memory in four months, but hey, he's trapped underground with limited blood. I think it's maybe plausible.

Thank you, and reveiw.

Hugs and Kisses to you all


	5. Better part of valor, right lad?

**I should probably mention this is slashy. Not graphically so, but slashy. A bit too late, I know, but better late than never. Enjoy.

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**

Angelus had been distracted for days. He completely ignored Drusilla until he could not possibly disregard her anymore, and even then all he did was snap at her. It was quite a contrast from the role of doting father/lover he had played for the past almost-four months.

Darla had been in and out the past few months flitting between the court and the home. Angelus could never bring himself to enquire about Will, and Darla never brought the subject up. They were courteous to each other now; on the surface, one might even say normal, but without William around, it was hard to tell what was normal.

That was why he had been distracted. Tonight was the night William should come home. Angelus had tried his best to take his mind of his youngest Childe over the months by drinking heavily, feeding heavily, violently screwing Darla and Dru and frequently going out all night and coming back minutes before dawn, if at all. Once he had disappeared for three days, and turned up perfectly calmly just as Darla was about to go and search for him.

He rolled over on his bed, unable to lie still and sleep. Darla lay beside him and he felt her disapproval as he disturbed her rest. Now that it was time for Will to come home, Angelus was... what, scared? Apprehensive? To see his Childe again... what if Will were badly hurt, what if he were permanently maimed? He shifted a little to look at the ceiling.

"Angelus will you go to sleep!" Darla sniped from her side of the bed. Angelus didn't reply but closed his eyes obediently and tried to drive all thoughts of Will out of his head. It didn't matter anyway. Will was capable of looking after himself. He was two.

Then again, _he _had been two when he'd done his own service... and he'd hated it. He'd barely coped. And he was the Scourge of Europe - Will was just a naive fledgling vampire.

"Go. To. Sleep, Angelus! Or do I have to send you into Drusilla's room?"

Angelus sighed heavily and looked at the thick curtains, through which the daylight was still visible. He sat up and heaved his legs over the side of the bed. "I'm going downstairs, Darla. Sleep well."

She sniffed in reply, and he left the room quietly, wearing only his nightshirt. Downstairs he poured himself a decent sized whiskey, and settled down with a cigar to calm himself, enjoying the quietness of the house while everyone was asleep. It didn't last though. Daemon the minion appeared nervously a few minutes later.

"I heard you pouring a drink sir and Samuel said I should come and check you were ok..." he hurried. "You are... ok, sir?"

"Yes. Go back to sleep," Angelus replied tiredly, taking a puff of his cigar and swirling the drink round in the glass as Daemon clumsily escaped back to his bed.

A few hours later, as the light behind the curtains dimmed, Angelus went back upstairs and dressed himself. By that time the sun was gone - or very nearly - and he slipped out of the house and went hunting. A young man in a long coat satisfied his hunger very well, and he caught a cab to the rough area of far East London where the Master's court was currently situated.

Luke, one of the Master's Childer and therefore sibling of Darla, was waiting for him outside the entrance to a large warehouse. They barely exchanged words before Luke led the other vampire into the warehouse and through a series of corridors and staircases that became tunnels as they went deeper. Finally they arrived in a large room where Angelus was told to wait, and eventually the Master emerged to greet him.

"Angelus. You made it. I was rather hoping you'd forget. He was becoming quite an agreeable underling, particularly recently. All rebellion is gone. I'm sure you will be grateful to me for breaking this willful fledgling once you realize how he's changed.

A sense of dread crept over Angelus but he went with his better judgment and bit his tongue, lowering his head in respect. "Yes Master. May I see him?"

"Certainly. Shall I call for him or would you like to fetch him?"

"I'll fetch him," Angelus said quickly, wanting to see his boy as soon as possible.

The Master nodded. "Very well. I don't know exactly where he is, but he's your Childe, you should be able to smell him out."

Angelus closed his eyes and for a minute he couldn't find it, but there it was, underneath all the other foul, stale odors of this place; William's rich scent drew him closer. Only it wasn't so rich anymore. He followed it diligently, ignoring anyone he passed, until he saw a little bundle of rags in a corner. It couldn't be William... but it smelt like him, whatever it was.

It was definitely a vampire... and yes, it had to be Will, only his hair was much shorter and darker. He had his face turned to the wall so Angelus couldn't see the eyes, but the smell was unmistakable now. Will's hand was touching the wall; he was running his fingers over something again and again. He hadn't seemed to notice Angelus crouching next to him.

Angelus pulled the thin blanket that curled over his legs away, and put a hand on Will's face, turning it towards him. William's demonic amber eyes glared at him blankly, and then suddenly, he reeled back as if having been hit. His eyes flickered between blue and gold repeatedly, and finally stuck with the gold again. Angelus remembered that. The needing to have demon face on all the time to please the Master. That would have to be reversed. William looked at him in something like disbelief, and then snarled and flinched away, backing impossibly further into his corner. It was only then that Angelus realized how thin the boy had got. Was he not being fed? He remembered the Master had only allowed certain underlings to hunt, but they had always brought back enough for the others. So what was Will doing this thin?

Angelus was angry. But, for once in his life, there was nothing he could do. He would never win a fight against the Master, and he couldn't change what had already been. Instead, he tried to quell all hostile or angry scents that might be emanating from him, and reached out with one hand to touch Will again. With the other, he ran it against his fang and slit the wrist, offering it out to his Childe slowly.

"It's ok, Will. It's me. Sire. You're hungry - drink, all right?"

William hesitently lowered his mouth, and gradually drank more and more with each pull, as Angelus continued to soothe him like a frightened child.

"Jesus Will what happened to you?" he murmured. Then he noticed what it was Will had been touching on the wall, and he pulled Will's arm away gently. He stopped when he saw what it was. His tattoo. He detached his arm from William's mouth and looked at him. "Did you do this?"

William nodded. He seemed a little more like the Will Angelus knew now, and he swallowed awkwardly. "Uh…"

Angelus smiled and pulled Will towards him in a hug. "You got the tip of the wing wrong," he whispered lightly, and Will smiled hesitantly.

"Am I… are we…?"

"Going home," Angelus finished, standing up and pulling Will up with him. Will grinned, but it didn't last long as he nearly lost his balance. Angelus slipped an arm round him to hold him up as they walked down the tunnel, but as they got nearer the end, Will shook him off.

"I can walk on my own," he said, and visibly made the effort to appear healthier than he was.

The Master was waiting for them when they got to the large chamber. He smiled sadistically at Angelus. "So. Are you pleased?"

For a moment, Will thought Angelus was going to submit, but instead he looked up and flashed his eyes amber. "No. But Will understands the concept of submitting when necessary. Better part of valor, right lad?"

William grinned at the mischievous glint in his Sire's eye, and nodded. "Yup. Let's go."

Angelus nodded his head to the Master respectfully before leaving, but Will didn't bother. Instead, he turned when they reached the exit and stuck his tongue out childishly at the Master, who was now joined with Luke.

Only when they were outside did he collapse against his Sire in exhaustion, and purr in delight as Angelus stroked his hair and kissed him thoughtfully during the ride home in the cab.

* * *

**It suddenly occurred to me while I was writing this that I may have got some timing wrong with Angelus and the Master… So I went through all my old Angel vids (videos, because I got them when I was too poor to afford dvds!) rewinding and fastforwarding to find the flashback dates from Prodigal, when Angelus was turned, and Darla, where he has the flashback to meeting the Master (I do all this for you guys, you should feel honoured!)... and I found out: Liam/Angelus was turned in 1753 but didn't meet the Master until seven years later in 1960. So that thing about Angelus going when he was two, doesn't really work out. After feeling very stupid for a few minutes, I concocted a cover story which is that Joss got it slightly wrong. And that incounter with the Master did happen, but it wasn't the first time they'd met, so it went slightly different. Or, it happened eight years earlier. I'm not sure yet. Just use your imagination, it's fanfiction - who cares if it doesn't play exactly to canon. I'm actually surprised no one brought this up with me in a reveiw before. **

**Sorry for the minor flaw. I'm sure you'll get over it. Also - this is the second chapter I've posted in two days! I'm so proud of myself.**


	6. Bastard

**WARNING - I _hate _to post warnings cos I think fics shouldn't be dangerous but I kinda have to this time. Don't know how to say it without giving it away though... um... ok, there's rape in this chapter. There, I said it. :hides: .I tried not to go into detail... although it might disturb more sensitive readers. Oh yeah, ant it's a little shorter than usual. Sorry about that.

* * *

**

Darla shot evil eyes at the new minion. She didn't know his name – unlike William and Angelus, she didn't go out of her way to learn the names of her servants. He was supposed to be lighting the fire, but he was making an even worse job of it than Will.

"Oh stop showering soot all over the carpet and go and fetch someone who can actually light a fire!" she snapped eventually. She was in a very irritable mood, which, in itself was not unusual, but she was also aggravated by the fact that Angelus had deliberately gone to fetch Will before she was up. She knew that he knew she would want to go with him, and he had pulled a fast one, so to speak.

Without her there to keep an eye on them, Angelus and William were likely to have wound up the Master which would spell trouble for their family in the future. She sighed. Sometimes her boy was just too much of a burden.

Drusilla was whining away to herself in a room somewhere above her, but since all the minions were terrified of her and Darla wanted nothing to do with 'the insane creation', she would just have to cope with whatever was troubling her on her own.

Where had that minion got to? No one had come in to take over the fire lighting and she was beginning to get cold. That made her even more irritable, and when the door opened a few minutes later she sat callously in her seat and waited for Angelus to come to her.

He didn't.

When she had heard him take William upstairs to his private bedroom and not come down again, she huffed out of the house in the finest temper Daemon had ever seen her. He made a point to tell Master William about it later.

* * *

William spent the night drifting in and out of consciousness. When he was awake, he was blissfully aware of Angelus' presence next to him on the bed; and even when he slept he felt the presence there too.

Angelus didn't sleep. He sat or lay next to Will when he was awake, occasionally murmuring sleepy conversations with the boy, but usually just looking at him; remembering him. When William was sleeping, he would get up and walk around a bit, thinking things over, wondering how he should ask what exactly happened. A couple of times he got out his sketching paper, but he didn't draw anything he was happy with, and so he threw the sketches in the fire. Drusilla came in at one point, concerned for Will and wanting to see him, but Angelus told her she couldn't stay; William needed his rest.

When the sun rose, Angelus climbed into bed again beside his Childe, and stroked his hair gently. William woke up a little less sleepily that he had the previous few times and blinked, looking blankly up at Angelus.

"'lo."

Angelus sighed and lay back with a contented smile. "Hello." He closed his eyes and fixed his hand firmly around the back of Will's neck.

William lay still, suddenly very much awake. After a few minutes of nothing, he stole a glance at his Sire. Angelus lay still, his eyes closed, breathing quelled. He was asleep. Will didn't feel sleepy – but looking towards the window he saw it was very much sleep time, and so he tried to do the same, but ended up uncomfortable. He had slept all night and didn't want to sleep anymore. He was rested enough. His stomach hurt again. Angelus' blood before had been enough to allay the hunger for the night, but now it was back again; determined to make up for the four months of neglect.

He was also hungry for sex. He hadn't had any of that for four months either. Well… no. He mentally suppressed the memories; best not to go there. He hadn't had any _enjoyable_ sex for four months, he corrected himself.

He studied his sleeping Sire once more. It was amazing how quickly Angelus could fall asleep sometimes. His profile against the faint glow from beyond the curtains was perfect. William was tucked in between his chest, and the strong arm that fell about his shoulders and rested on his neck. As gently as possible, he moved forwards into Angelus' shoulder and armpit – resulting in Angelus' hand falling from his neck and resting instead on his shoulder. He grumbled mentally about that – it was one of his favourite things to have Angelus' hand on the back of his neck, but the momentary dissatisfaction disappeared when he closed his eyes and inhaled the strong scent. It smelt rich, too, and his stomach rumbled. Well – it _would _have rumbled if that part of his stomach was still alive. He found himself sneaking another glance up at his face, but his eyes couldn't quite stretch that far from his new position. Instead he stared at Angelus' neck, and he grew hungrier with the knowledge of all the blood lazily pumping through the dead veins.

Angelus' blood was _magic_ blood, he was sure, and the thought of its taste made him itch with want. He nuzzled a little closer to the neck. He was inches away from it now. If he just leant forwards… just a little more, then he could just…

No. Not without permission. He shut his eyes once more, but Angelus' body next to and around him gave him the peculiar desire to be kissed by his all-powerful Sire. He sighed heavily, irritated with Angelus for being asleep when he was craving attention so much.

Little did he know Angelus was indeed awake, and knew exactly how Will felt. The boy gave off more emotional scents than a human. And having slept very little the day before, Angelus was _tired_, and had no time for a hankering fledgling – no matter what he'd been through.

Then he sighed. Will was just hungry. It was, after all, his fault. He should've provided the boy with something to eat earlier in the night – and he doubted the minions were smart enough to keep the cellar stocked with fresh people. With another heavy sigh, he extended his left wrist towards his Childe and without opening his eyes, said, "Go on lad."

With any luck, he thought as he felt Will's fangs piece his wrist, a little blood will satisfy him and he'll go back to sleep.

William gently worked at his Sire's wrist. Four months of drinking from other vampires had taught him how to feed causing the least discomfort. When Angelus pulled his wrist away, he opened one eye and looked at the younger vampire.

"Still hungry?"

Will shook his head obediently and Angelus smiled. "Good. Now sleep, you need it."

William tried, he really did, but the Sire blood coursing through his veins made him more awake than ever and even more hungry for sex. If Angelus was too tired…

"Sire?"

"Hmm?"

"Can I go and find Drusilla?"

"No."

Will fell silent for a bit before starting up again. "But I haven't seen her –"

"No doubt Drusilla is sleeping – as you should be," Angelus replied, this time with a steelier edge to his voice that made Will abandon that idea altogether. Instead he tried a different tactic.

He wriggled impossibly closer to Angelus, pressing his lean body right up against the larger one. Slowly, he shifted hand up and placed it on Angelus' belly. When he got no reaction, he gradually moved it lower down his Sire's abdomen. When it reached the velvety skin beneath Angelus' navel, Angelus caught the hand in his own and growled deeply and quietly in the back of his throat. Will stole a glance at his face and saw to his delight that Angelus' eyes had glazed over, the way they did when his lust overcame him.

His trick had worked. Angelus rolled over onto his side and kissed the boy hungrily, possessively. His hands were everywhere; running over Will's skin as it were clay and he the potter. Will was elated. The kiss grew more violent and Angelus was soon pressing Will down into the sheets, his body swamping him; suffocating. Angelus didn't bother to lube himself; he thought simply about himself as he started to rape his Childe, not caring how painful it was for the boy. William tried to go with it but somewhere in the back of his mind a memory resurfaced and he began to struggle against the overwhelming power of his Sire. Angelus either didn't notice, or didn't care, because he carried on even more crushingly, the odour of lust growing thicker with every second. Will tried to free his arms from underneath Angelus', but his Sire caught them and stopped kissing Will for a second, so that instead Will only saw his eyes. He was captivated, and stopped struggling almost immediately. The eyes flashed amber, and Angelus savagely bit into William's neck with all the force of a master vampire behind him in his climax. Will screamed, and horrible images crossed his vision – of the master, Luke, their faces, their demons, that horrible wrinkled face with its red eyes and pig-like nose – almost comically ugly if it weren't for the demon behind it. The scream broke down into a sob, as Angelus pulled back his own blood.

Finally Angelus stopped, moved to the edge of the bed and stood. He took one last, cold glance at his Childe, who lay curled up entangled with the sheets, and strode to the door, opened it, and left.

The sound echoed through the room as Angelus shut the door behind him with a bang.

William had no problem with fidgeting after that. He cried himself to sleep.

* * *

**So, were you surprised with that twist? I'm sorry for the sex scene – I got a little carried away… and the reason I did it? Because all through this fic (and especially the start of this chapter) I've been making out that he cares; that he's a softie. But he's not. He's a Bastard, kids, with a capital 'B', and it's about time I rectified that. I hope I did evil!Angelus justice. So… sorry if that got a little too dark for you at the end, I really am sorry, I don't know what came over me! I want to actually write up something about my analysis of the character of Angelus somewhere because I have some pretty interesting thoughts that I'd like opinions on, but I'll save that for another day.**

**Dreamer**


	7. New part o' town

**This chapter is rather... different. Just read it, and I will explain at the end. Promise.**

Will awoke that evening to the familiar bellow of, "William!" from the floor below. Suddenly the memory of that morning came flooding back. Actually it hit him like a tidal wave and he immediately felt the urge to throw up. "BOY!" Oops. Angelus had repeated himself and that was never a good thing. Will hurriedly shoved on a large shirt which must've been Angelus' because it hung way down to just above his knees, and ran to Angelus' room. He knocked, then entered at the answering grunt.

"There you are," Darla remarked coolly from the bed, where she had pulled the sheets up to protect her modesty. Angelus lay beside her but on top of the sheets, dressed from the waist downwards. The room reeked of sex and Darla, a combination Will disliked intensely. Angelus frowned at him disapprovingly.

"You've just woken up," he stated. Will didn't answer but shifted his weight onto the other foot, staring at the carpet because he was reluctant to look at his Sire, particularly after last night. "Why?" Will picked at a spot with his toe. "I asked you a question boy," Angelus reminded him sternly, raising himself off the bed. "Answer me."

"I woke up 'cos you called me," Will replied, risking a look at his Sire whose face darkened considerably.

"You know perfectly well that is _not _what I meant. You should have been up hours ago."

William glanced at Angelus nervously and skipped nimbly to his right where he could keep the high-backed mahogany chair between him and his Sire.

"You have _jobs_ to do boy, you have _duties_," continued Angelus, taking a few slow steps forwards. Then Darla spoke up.

"Perhaps you shouldn't be too hard on him Angelus. After all, he has been away for four months. It must be difficult for him to get back into routine after his holiday." Will scowled. He should've known she would never genuinely step in to help him out. Malevolent bitch.

"That's no excuse for shirking responsibilities," Angelus chided sternly. Will scowled even deeper and his frustration finally reached its peak.

"No! You're not being fair Angelus! I've just got back from four months of torture with that bat faced creature you call Master; I'm weak, and hungry, and tired, and you expect me to just get up the first night back and do my old jobs like before? Someone must've done them while I was in hell and why can't they do it for just one more day? It's not fair – I've got up early every night for the past two and a half years so I think I deserve a day off!"

There was a silence, and then a strange sound which took Will a couple of seconds to place. Angelus was laughing. He took a few more steps forwards and Will nervously checked he was behind the chair, but Angelus simply pushed it aside and tousled Will's hair lightly.

"Why didn't you just say that to begin with? I only asked why you weren't up!"

Will, relieved, began to relax, but then he remembered what had happened that morning and stiffened as Angelus' strong arms enveloped him. Angelus must have sensed it, but chose to ignore it. Instead he dragged Will onto the bed along with Darla, who sniffed disapprovingly as the boy wriggled in next to her.

"I'm getting dressed. Make sure he doesn't watch," she said to Angelus, injecting the last word with enough venom that Will immediately turned his face and buried it in the pillow. He felt Darla lift her weight from the bed, and then surprisingly, Angelus' hand in his hair. He didn't like it – the event of that morning proving to him that Angelus' affections could instantly become violent. When he heard the door shutting with Darla's exit, he quickly rolled over to her side of the bed, away from Angelus' hand which dropped to the pillow.

"Come here Will," he said, but the younger vampire pretended not to have heard. "William, come here," he repeated more firmly.

"I'm fine here thanks," Will replied stiffly, but a slight snarl made him change his mind and he moved a little closer. Angelus' arm reached out and pulled him up close. Will stiffened again.

Angelus sighed. "What's got into you today boy?" Will physically jerked when Angelus threw his leg over Will's, and his Sire sighed exasperatedly again. "William, stop it," he commanded. "You're just being silly now, aren't you." Will swallowed and tried to relax. "Aren't you?"

"Yes." Angelus gave a slight cough. "Yes Sire. Sorry."

He smiled and kissed Will's hairline. "That's better. Now, we're going out tonight. Our territory has changed and Darla wants me to make sure you know where the boundaries are. Alright? Now go and get dressed."

Will gladly escaped the clutches of his Sire and stopped in at Dru's room on the way up. She woke gracefully at the soft sound of the door shutting and turned, propping herself up on her elbows.

"Spike?"

He smiled and crossed the room. "Yeah. It's me pet." He kissed her nose, and then she lifted her head and they kissed properly. It seemed that she was as happy to see him as he was to see her, and Will was delighted that she hadn't forgotten him. When they finally broke apart, she seemed to glow.

"The stars told me so much… But Daddy said they were lying. Were they lying Will?"

"If Angelus said so then they must have been," Will replied shortly, wanting to change the subject. "What have you been up to?" He settled down on the bed with one knee up in front of him and the other hanging off the edge.

"There was a big fight… other vampires, my Angel destroyed them and we had a party in their blood. Red rivers of blood carrying their bodies away…" she swayed slightly and smiled to herself.

"Dru, you said they were _vampires_. How could they have bodies?"

Drusilla stopped swaying immediately as if she had snapped back to reality, and glared at Will. "Of course they had bodies. Everyone has bodies," she scoffed, as if talking to a very stupid person. Will sighed, and changed the subject again.

"Have you any new dresses?" He enquired politely, and she growled a little.

"Yes."

"Can I see them?"

"No."

"Why not?"

"No!" she repeated, frustrated, and Will hastily tried to think of something else to talk about.

"WILLIAM!"

Oh. Angelus had called him. Will suddenly remembered he was supposed to be dressed and ready to go out, so he raced out of Drusilla's room and into his own, hurriedly trying to find something suitable.

"WILL!" Angelus bellowed again, and Will checked himself over and then raced back down the two flights of stairs until he got to the bottom where Angelus was waiting. Angelus checked him over, sighed, shook his head and opened the door. On the way out, he roughly flattened Will's hair, pulling on a tangle as he did so.

"Ow!"

Angelus sighed again and shut the door behind him. He led Will towards the river, but instead of heading for Southwark Bridge, as they usually did, they headed in the opposite direction, through the slums of Bermondsey. It was a fairly long journey; one that would have taken a human the best part of forty minutes. Angelus and Will made it in fifteen. They reached the river around the deserted warehouses and wharfs between London Bridge and Tower of London. Angelus walked out onto one of the wharfs and stared out across the river at the Tower, a malevolent dark figure that seemed to leak malice into the night around.

Will felt uneasy. This part of London was notorious for its high crime rate. No one lived around here – it was full only of factories and warehouses, owned by the people to the east, staffed by the people to the west. He assumed, from Angelus leading him here, that Bermondsey was their new territory, but he still felt uneasy. Southwark wasn't much safer, but a human William had known Southwark and Waterloo like he knew his own home. The thought suddenly occurred to him that it would be incredibly difficult to defend this territory - especially for Angelus, being an Irishman - and that from their house it may be even more difficult. They lived in Newington Causeway, one of the only respectable areas left in Borough, which also happened to be very close to Trinity church, where he had found Drusilla.

Angelus turned back round and pointed at the Tower. "Do you know what that is?"

"Of course," Will answered.

"Have you ever been there?"

"No."

"I have." Angelus' voice was strange – more layered than usual, Will thought, although he wasn't really sure what he meant by layered.

"Is it part of our new territory?"

Angelus shook his head. "No. We own the stretch of river between Southwark Bridge and Tower, and south of the river down to New Kent road." Will tried to picture it in his head but not knowing Borough and Bermondsey that well, he couldn't. He did know, however, that the Bermondsey housing area – slums – stretched a lot further east than the Tower.

"How much of Bermondsey?"

"Only as far as St Mary Magdalene," Angelus told him, turning back around again towards the inky water. "Any more questions?"

Will hesitated, wondering whether to voice his fears that Bermondsey would be a difficult place to defend as a territory, but stopped. Instead he shook his head. "No Sire."

"Good. I will take you round the slums tonight and show you exactly which bit is ours and which is not. I negotiated this area because it is far, far easier to pick strangers from the deteriorated areas than those people from Newington." There was a trace of bitterness in his voice there, and somehow Will knew without knowing that something had happened in their old territory when he'd been away and they'd been forced to shift a little. Will personally didn't care about hunting in the slums and he knew Darla, despite how she may appear, didn't care either. Angelus and Drusilla, however, were dreamers, and the thought of feeding from scummy lowlife disgusted them both.

For a while, Angelus and his Childe stood and watched the water - Will a little anxious because of his irrational fear of water - and then they left, and Angelus butchered a woman and daughter as he led Will home along the territory boundary.

**Ok, so I_was_ going to have a big dramatic scene involving the river Thames in there somewhere and that's what the whole chapter was about to lead up to, but then when I got there I couldn't do it. It took a long time to write this, because I did a hell of a lot of homework on this my friends! I don't actually live in London, I used to live just outside it, so I don't know it very well, let alone what it was like in 1882. I have looked at SO many old maps and compared them to the knew ones and MY GOD was it difficult! Not only did I work out that Tower Bridge didn't actually exist until 1896 and although it was planned in 1882 it wasn't under construction until 1886 (So I had to go back and change all references to the bridge to the tower itself), but I realised that variousplaces have different names etc...New Kent Road is bythe area now known as Elephant and Castle, for anyone interested, and so their new territory stretches up from Elephant and Castle to the area of the Thames between Southwark Bridge (near Shakespeare's globe) and Tower Bridge. phew. Also, I was planning on bringing this toa close here, but it doesn't want to stop yet so I'm going to let the fic run away with me until it feels like stopping. **

**Oh yeah, and I have no idea whether Drusilla went to Trinity church - I most sincerely doubt it - but I have taken liberties there considering it was just Too Convenient to have a church more or less in Angelus' back yard. (I told you I did my homework on this! All these places do/did exist and I know exactly where they are/were!)**


	8. A broken nib

William turned Angelus' expensive gold pen over in his fingers. Angelus had forbidden him to touch it, of course, but Will thought it was such a wonderful pen that it deserved to be used.

He was sitting at Angelus' second study desk, pondering what to write in the diary Angel had decided suddenly to make him keep. Next to him was Angelus' own diary, opened at a page from about a year ago as an example. Will scanned it briefly.

_November 11th, 1981._

_Finances are good. The stock exchange seems to be going well for me, and so I can afford more luxuries for the girls. Drusilla has appeared to be fairly lucid recently; whether that is to do with William's influence I do not know. Today we went out as a family. Darla was most displeased with the behaviour of my Childer, and has insisted I 'speak' to the boy about it. I have to say, he has much to learn, and showing me up in public is not something he should be doing if he wants to stay with us much longer. Hunting has become rather poor in this area, and it looks as though we may be moving closer to the inner city some time soon. _

_A.A._

Will yawned. How dull. But really, what was he possibly going to write in this bleeding diary? _Dear Diary, Angelus beat me up again today, love Will._ Mildly curiously, but mostly just trying to kill boredom, he flicked forward a few pages until he got to the more recent entries.

_September 7th, 1982._

_Will has been gone 23 days now. Drusilla has almost forgotten him, or at least that's all she is showing. _(At this point there was two or three lines blotted out so heavily with ink that Will couldn't make out what they might have said). _In truth, I hope it will make him a better vampire, although I find it difficult to imagine my boy as anything but a nuisance. _

_We all miss him._

_A.A._

Will frowned at the seemingly unexpected, 'we all miss him', at the bottom of the entry, but he dismissed it. He needed to concentrate on his own diary.

Picking up the pen once more, he somehow managed to drop it onto the hard stone floor of the second study. He picked it up hurriedly and inspected it. The nib was bent. His eyes widening, he tried to bend it back into shape, but to no avail. He glanced up briefly to make sure no one was watching and then searched through Angelus' drawers looking for spare nibs. Nothing.

If Angelus found out he'd broken this pen's apparently irreplaceable nib, he was so dusted. Unfortunately, he also had to finish this diary entry. With a bent pen nib. There were other pens, of course, but none in here, and if he left the room Angelus would ask why, and if he answered 'to get a pen', then Angelus would ask what he _had_ been doing for fifteen minutes. Swallowing, he dipped the pen in the ink and went to write his wobbly and inconsistent entry.

_November 18th, 1982_

_Angelus made me start a diary. This is it. Today I hunted with Dru in our new territory and she made a big fuss about eating an old woman. _

He hesitated over whether to add in anything else, about the pen or his own emotions, but decided Angelus was going to read it so he'd leave it at that. He signed it, _Spike_, and glanced over the brief entry. The handwriting was awful. He _could _write neat, as a university graduate, but Angelus' was far, far more elegant, and Will just knew he would not be happy with this effort. Especially since Will couldn't even explain it was the pen's fault, not his, because that would mean owning up to the damage of the nib which he shouldn't have been using in the first place.

Using the standard 'ignore it and maybe it'll go away' technique, Will left the pen exactly where he had found it, shut Angelus' diary, shut his own, and left the room.

It wasn't until half an hour later that "WILLIAM!" signified Angelus had discovered either the diary entry, or the pen, or both.

Trooping downstairs with a look of complete innocence, he saw Angelus holding the diary. The pen was nowhere to be seen.

"_What_ is this?"

"That's me diary," Will chirped brightly, hurriedly adding "Sire," onto the end at Angelus' frown.

Sigh. "William, this is not acceptable. '_Angelus made me start a diary. This is it. Today I hunted with Dru in our new territory and she made a big fuss about eating an old woman.'_" Angelus looked at Will with one eyebrow raised. "Before I even start on the content, would you like to give me an explanation as to the presentation?"

Will thought quickly. "Uh, the woman that we killed, she bent my finger back in her struggle and… it still hurts," he finished hopefully.

"You're lying to me William. That means you've done something wrong."

"Fine! Ok, I don't have an excuse. My writing is just… really bad."

Angelus turned and strode towards the fire place. He prodded the fire with the poker, and then turned back to his Childe, holding the poker aloof, one hand also resting on his belt buckle. "We can do this the easy way, or we can do this the fun way? Which would you prefer? Either I beat it out of you, which could take time, and _then _you suffer the consequences of what you've done, or you tell me now, and _only _suffer the consequences. Hmm?"

William took a half step back and Angelus began to take off his belt slowly. "Uhh… well the pen I was using had a broken nib."

"And you didn't think to get another one?"

"They were all upstairs."

"So?"

"Uhh…"

"Which pen was is?"

"Mine. My… blue one."

"So not this one then?" Angelus held up the very pen Will had broken, and predictably, Will's jaw dropped. "Right. Let's have a count shall we? 1 for every badly written word. That's 29. 5 for using my pen. 5 for dropping it. 1 for not changing the nib. 1 for not fetching a different pen. 5 for lying to me about the writing. 5 for lying to me about the pen. So that makes a total so far of 51. Would you like those included or separate from the content beating?"

Will simply scowled at his Sire. This was _so _unjustified.

"Included then. 1 for not being willing to keep the diary. 1 for stating the obvious. 5 for the lack of detail and interest. 5 for signing it wrong. 2 for using an abbreviation of Drusilla's name –"

"But you used an abbreviation of mine!"

"– 3 for arguing with me, 5 for reading entries other than the one I gave you to read… have I forgotten anything boy?"

Will shook his head miserably.

"Good. Then that makes 72. Better round it up to eighty, I think. Shirt."

Dutifully, Will removed his shirt. Blood didn't come out easily, and Angelus wouldn't pay for a new one if this got ruined.

"Angelus, what are you doing?" Darla's head appeared at almost exactly the right time. She took in the scene and shook her head. "No. Not in here. The carpet, Angelus, the carpet!"

"But it's red anyway," Angelus protested, and Darla snapped at him.

"No!"

Will snickered under his breath and Angelus shot him a warning glance. "85…" He shut up. "Come on then boy, we're going downstairs." Angelus grabbed William's shoulder roughly like a child, and pulled him into the cellar. "Wall," he commanded.

William was so used to this kind of punishment that he put on an air of indifference and boredom. This had all happened before. And it had been worse. The Master… No! He shut his eyes and pressed against the wall.

Slam!

The first stroke of Angelus' belt drove him into the wall with its force.

Crack!

The second took him straight back to the Master's lair.

"_Do you think it's _funny, _boy? Is that what Angelus has taught you?"_

"You realise what you've done wrong, don't you boy?"

"_N-No."_

"What?"

Crack!

"_You are nothing but an arrogant fledgling, just like your Sire."_

"I went over it all with you! You know exactly what you've done wrong!"

The two events were blurring; his current situation with Angelus, and the beating he had received on his second day in the Master's service.

"You're not perfect either!" Will yelled at them both; the ugly face of the Master and the familiar face of his Sire. Then he slammed his fist against the wall so hard that it cracked the skin.

He didn't even feel it. He began to shake, rested his head against the wall and thumped it again and again.

"Will, stop it," snapped Angelus, but his Childe seemed not to hear him. "Will?"

_stupid fledgling stupid fledgling stupid fledgling stupid fledgling stupid fledgling_

"William!" Angelus dropped the belt and took two steps forwards so that he was standing, frowning, next to Will. "What's wrong?" Will's bloodied fist went forwards again to hit he wall but Angelus caught it and lowered it. He leant closer.

"stupidfledglingstupidfledglingstupidfledgling," Will was muttering under his breath.

"Will," began Angelus calmly, but he was ignored, again. "William!" he said loudly, but still nothing. Finally he clouted him across the head, and this time, Will paid attention, looking up at Angelus with tears in his eyes.

The expression on his face was so un-William like that Angelus hesitated, before pulling the boy towards him. "It's ok. Forget it," he whispered, and then stood up and left quietly.

* * *

**A/N: Sorry for the hiatus. I really am genuinely sorry it takes me so long to update. I'm a bad bad writer and I won't waste your time with my excuses. Just know I am really sorry. Feedback?I think there'sa lot to critisise with this chapter so constructive comments would be much appreciated!**


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